Why January Dysregulation Is So Common (And What It’s Telling Us)
January often comes with quiet expectations.
That children will feel refreshed.
That routines will settle quickly.
That behaviour will “return to normal” after Christmas.
But for many families, January brings the opposite.
Children may seem more emotional, more reactive, more tired, or less flexible than usual. Meltdowns can feel bigger. Transitions can feel harder. Small challenges can suddenly feel overwhelming.
This doesn’t mean something has gone wrong.
It usually means a child’s nervous system is still catching up.
What We’re Commonly Seeing in January
After the end-of-year period, many children have experienced:
disrupted routines and sleep patterns
increased social demands
changes in expectations and environments
sensory overload from busy days and celebrations
less predictability, familiarity and structure
For developing nervous systems, these changes take time to process.
What looks like “dysregulation” is often the body doing exactly what it is designed to do: respond to change, novelty and fatigue.
What This Tells Us About Regulation
Regulation is not a switch children can turn on and off.
It develops gradually through repeated experiences of safety, connection and support. When routines change, or when children are asked to adapt quickly, their nervous systems often need time to recalibrate.
In January, many children are still rebuilding:
a sense of predictability
trust in what comes next
confidence in their body’s ability to cope
This can show up as emotional sensitivity, clinginess, irritability, withdrawal, or increased movement and noise.
These are not signs of failure.
They are signals, clues if you like.
What Helps in This Season
January is not the time to rush regulation.
It is a time to slow down support, not withdraw it.
Helpful supports often include:
gentle, predictable rhythms to the day
fewer demands during transitions
clear expectations without pressure
opportunities for movement, rest and connection
calm adult presence during emotional moments
Rather than asking children to manage big feelings alone, we can stay close and help their nervous systems settle before expecting skills to emerge.
Regulation grows through relationship long before it becomes an independent skill.
A Reassuring Reframe
If January feels harder than expected, you are not alone!
Your child is not being difficult.
You are not doing anything wrong.
Their nervous system is simply adjusting.
With time, consistency and support, regulation begins to rebuild — quietly, steadily and naturally.
This way of understanding regulation underpins much of our work at Sensory SMART OT. It informs the thinking behind the Regulation Hourglass framework, which focuses on meeting children where they are developmentally rather than pushing skills before they are ready for them.
January doesn’t need fixing.
It needs understanding.
And with that, calm can begin to return.